Since the cost of plastics and other materials have risen sharply in recent years, corrugated sheet material has been found to be an inexpensive and reliable substitute for the plastics and other materials that previously had been used with point-of-purchase advertising displays and other simple shelf arrangements. Often the corrugated sheet material is precut, prefolded and packed into unassembled point-of-purchase display units. This allows a retailer to quickly unpack and assemble a display for immediate retail use.
To make assembly easier and to add rigidity and strength which adhesives cannot supply, various connectors and brackets have been devised which engage each other as well as support the corrugated sheet material. A popular type of connector assembly has cooperating male and female members as well as flat backings or tabs positioned on each male and female member for insertion within the corrugated sheet material. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,389,133 and 4,565,465 to Oberst, these types of connector assemblies are adapted to interconnect pieces of corrugated sheet material and add strength and rigidity to a display. During assembly of the unassembled display, the backings or tabs may be positioned within the corrugated sheet material to provide for the quick assembly of a prepacked, unassembled corrugated display.
It is believed that the prior art coupler assemblies of the described type have not provided for the flexibility that retailers often desire. For example, depending on the type of product displayed, a retailer may desire the shelf within a display to sit at an askew negative angle to prevent objects from sliding off the shelves. On the other hand, if a display case hangs at an askew angle, the shelves must be angled relative to the display case to provide level shelf space. Such flexibility of orientation is not readily possible with the known coupler assemblies.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a coupler assembly for interconnecting pieces of corrugated sheet material wherein the joined pieces may be positioned at various angles relative to each other.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a coupler assembly having interlocking male and female members for interconnecting pieces of corrugated sheet material.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupler assembly having interlocking male and female members for interconnecting pieces of corrugated sheet material wherein the male and female members can be easily disengaged.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupler assembly having interlocking male and female members wherein each member includes a portion adapted for insertion into corrugated sheet material.